Hambantota International Port (HIP), was a key participant at ‘Transport Logistics 2019’ the world’s premier transport and logistics exhibition held in Munich, Germany last week.
The Sri Lankan delegation, of which Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) representatives were a part of, held several high-powered meetings with decision makers of Germany’s leading logistics and engineering companies. Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, Hapag-Lloyd, Hamburg Port Consulting, Siemens Digital Logistics business, DHL, DB Schenker and Kuehne + Nagel were some of the top level players they met with.
The Lankan delegation who attended the meetings, was headed by Minister of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake while the HIPG team was led by veteran shipping executive, Tissa Wickramasinghe, Chief Operating Officer of HIPG.
“This is the first time in my entire career that I was challenged with positioning an entire port with all it services. But these are exciting times and we are proud to be trailblazers not only in positioning our multi-purpose port but also the opportunity of placing Sri Lanka on the world’s maritime map, in an altogether new way,” said Tissa Wickremasinghe.
He says, from a marketing point of view, his team’s participation in the prestigious exhibition is significant, as it gave them the opportunity to showcase the port to the maritime world. HIPG as an organisational strategy, is promoting the multi-purpose Hambantota Port as an entirely new proposition.
HIP’s full range of services include container handling, general cargo, ro-ro, passenger, bunkering, bulk terminal, gas, and project cargo.
The port is well on its way to becoming one of a kind in Sri Lanka, as it is the only port in the country designed to handle such a wide range of services in the maritime and logistics fields. HIP which has been gearing for ease of doing business for a while now, recently partnered with the Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment to establish a one-stop service centre within the port premises.
HIP which is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) entered into between the SLPA, and global port operator CMPort has not only doubled its RORO services, but has diversified its services to include a number of port related activities such as container handling, general cargo, passenger, bunkering, bulk terminal gas and project cargo.In addition to its maritime services, the port has drawn a master plan to become a logistics hub in the region, with warehouses, storage areas, and distribution centers being set up within its premises.
This maritime and logistics hub is intended to serve as a catalyst to develop a logistics centered economy. HIP will be the only port in the country, designed to handle a full gamut of services in the maritime and logistics area.
Once construction of basic facilities and other infrastructure are in place, the second stage of building standardised warehouses and attracting high value-added industries will begin, followed by upstream, middle and downstream industries in the final phase of the industrial park, which may include food processing and automobile services, amongst others.
0 comments: